The present subject matter relates generally to devices and methods for dispensing bone graft material or similar components.
During surgical procedures, a bone graft dispensing device is used to insert a bone graft material into open fractures or wounds. The bone graft material may include any bone graft substitute, including allograft, autograft, and synthetic bone graft material, and is often a thick, putty-like material. Conventional bone graft dispensing devices include a plunger that is advanced through a cylinder to dispense the bone graft material through a tip.
However, conventional bone graft dispensing devices are often difficult to manipulate during use. The bone graft material is typically sticky and difficult to handle as it is loaded into and advanced through a bone graft dispensing device. To move the plunger through the cylinder, the plunger must be connected to a hand or motor powered drill that rotates the plunger as it moves through the cylinder. Each of these actions of manipulating the device occur as the bone graft material is being applied to the patient during surgery.
The positioning of the tip of the device in the surgical area of the patient is critical, particularly when operating in areas with small bones such as the spine, areas that are highly sensitive, or procedures that involve hardware components to temporarily or permanently align bones while surgery heals. The difficulty in manipulating the device during surgery can lead to bone graft material dispensed in the incorrect area as well as unintentionally striking the surgical area of the patient with the device.
Accordingly, there is a need for a bone graft dispensing device that is easy to use, minimizes the likelihood of the device striking the patient, and hydrates bone graft material as it moves through the device.